‘Nigerians are unhappy; they’re in tears’- Olaiya Igwe tells Tinubu

A little over one year after veteran Yoruba actor Ebun Oloyede, aka Olaiya Igwe, went naked in a campaign video for President Bola Tinubu, he has toed Kwam 1’s footsteps, decrying the level of hardship in the country.

Recently, Kwam 1, in an Instagram video, lamented the suffering endured by Nigerians since Mr Tinubu assumed office and urged him to address the ongoing hardships.

Mr Olaiya, 66, an avid APC supporter, on the other hand, in a video on his official YouTube page on Tuesday, called on the President to heed the people’s cries.

He said: “ The citizens are crying and wailing; that’s why everybody is angry— even Nigerians in the diaspora are not happy with the current situation in the country.

“I want to talk to our father, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Citizens are crying because their expectations from you were not met. I know you’re trying, but the people in your cabinet do not allow your efforts to show.

“I understand your efforts, but those around you hindered your progress. You’re partly responsible because you didn’t carefully select them. They lack professionalism. You have a keen eye for talent; otherwise, you wouldn’t have appointed Wike to lead in Abuja, where he’s achieving great things.”

The actor was in the news in December 2022 for going naked to campaign for Mr Tinubu, a move that earned him flak. Subsequently, his Instagram page was suspended shortly after he posted the video, but the page was later restored.

In this new video, the actor maintained that although he doesn’t regret campaigning for President Tinubu, he urged him (Tinubu) to address the widespread hunger in the land as well as the absence of positive expectations Nigerians are expecting from him.

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Furthermore, the Ogun-born actor appealed to the President to establish a monitoring team to oversee some of his projects meant to alleviate poverty and reduce hardship for Nigerians.

Mr Olaiya noted that the diversion of palliative funds, intended to alleviate the impact of fuel subsidy removal, was due to a lack of a monitoring team.

He suggested that the President’s children should lead the team, noting their vested interest in the success of his government.

Mr Olaiya alleged that not all of Mr Tinubu’s appointees are committed to his success; some have ulterior motives.

He argued that past Presidents failed due to the absence of effective monitoring teams overseeing projects.

He said: “I implore you to establish a monitoring team, led by either your son or daughter, to oversee national operations diligently. It’s imperative to supervise the allocation of resources across all sectors, as things rarely go as planned without oversight.

“Remember the embezzlement with the palliative distribution; trusting solely in youth led to mismanagement. Despite potential bribery within the monitoring team, discreet supervisors can ensure effective execution.

“Failure to act may result in shared consequences, as evident from the curses we both receive. Recognise that while not everyone around you is corrupt, many are. It’s time to prioritise competence over political affiliations, replacing unfit appointees.

“Rather than resorting to cursing, let’s offer prayers for accountability. Many, like myself, prayed for Tinubu’s success without expecting personal gain.”

Controversial video

Mr Olaiya noted that he went naked to campaign for Mr Tinubu following a revelation he received.

He added that he had been faced with criticism, curses and abuse since he went naked to campaign for the President, especially now the country’s situation has worsened under Mr Tinubu’s led administration.

The actor, who apologised to Nigerians for misleading them to vote for Mr Tinubu by going naked, clarified that he harbours no anger against those cursing him.

He added that such consequences were foreseeable given his actions and popularity and attributed the curses to the economy, insecurity, and hardship currently facing the country.

According to him, his naked prayer at the beach was not to seek an appointment but rather a gesture of gratitude for saving his life during a health crisis.

He added that the backlash and curses come from individuals and groups not affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those with personal vendettas against him.

He said: “I am using this platform to greet everyone watching me. I’m here to discuss our father, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Yinka TNT. Our father, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when he was campaigning for president because of what he had done for me regarding my health.

“A revelation came to me to perform specific actions at the beach. Despite facing a lot of abuse and curses afterwards, I remained unruffled, knowing such reactions were inevitable given my public role. Those who were surprised by my actions questioned my motives.

“The curses and abuse mainly came from non-APC parties and individuals with personal grudges against me. Rest assured, no one has offended me. Perhaps, once Tinubu assumes office and things go according to plan, the abuse will decrease, and love for me will increase. However, when expectations are unmet, people resort to insults and curses.”

“I need to speak with our father, Tinubu. Daddy, I didn’t regret supporting you during your campaign, nor was I angry because you helped me when I was in dire need. However, there’s something I need to discuss with you now. The citizens are unhappy; they’re in tears. Their expectations remain unmet”.

CBN policy

The actor urged Mr Tinubu to consider and utilise the words of former Central Bank Governor of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, upon his removal from office.

Although he failed to mention the words, he acknowledged their relevance and suggested that he (Tinubu) should have examined and acted upon them.

He said: “I want you to remember Charles Soludo, all the words he said when he was removed from the post; all those words make sense. You should look into the man’s words and work on them. It seems you’re not taking it seriously, Daddy.”

Naked video

On 3 December 2022, PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Ogun state indigene prayed for Mr Tinubu’s victory stark naked at an undisclosed beach and uploaded the controversial video on his Instagram.

The video showed him from behind, turning around for a headshot while praying for Mr Tinubu’s success.

Before the shocking video, he was filmed rolling on the floor in gratitude to the then Lagos State Park and Garages Management Chairperson Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, for gifting him a car.

A clip of MC Oluomo giving the veteran actor a Mercedes Benz on 10 August 2022 went viral.

After the nude video went viral, Mr Olaiya explained his actions in an interview on the breakfast program ‘Your View’ aired on Television Continental, attributing them to divine instructions.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE